Cecil silences Phils in return to majors

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Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - Colby Rasmus smashed a two-run homer and
supplied an RBI double, helping the Toronto Blue Jays finish off a three-game
sweep of the reeling Philadelphia Phillies with a 6-2 win at Rogers Centre.

"Just an outstanding day (for Rasmus)," said Toronto manager John Farrell.

Kelly Johnson and Rajai Davis added run-scoring singles for the Blue Jays, who
recorded a sweep of the Phillies for the second time in franchise history.
They also swept a three-game set in Philadelphia in 2009.

Brett Cecil (1-0) made a successful return to the majors, tossing five solid
innings in his 2012 debut with Toronto. He gave up solo home runs to Jim Thome
and John Mayberry Jr. among five hits, walked one and struck out five to pick
up his first win in the big leagues since July 29, 2011.

Cecil had gone 0-7 with a 5.16 ERA in his final 10 starts for the Blue Jays
last year.

The southpaw toed the rubber Sunday in place of an injured Brandon Morrow
(strained left oblique), one of three Blue Jays starters to land on the
disabled list in the past week.

Cecil began the season in the minors after a subpar showing in spring
training. He went 3-2 with a 3.38 ERA in nine starts for Double-A New
Hampshire before earning a win on June 12 in his lone outing for Triple-A Las
Vegas.

Kyle Kendrick (2-7) allowed six runs -- five earned -- on eight hits in 6 1/3
innings for Philadelphia, which finished its road trip with a 3-6 mark. The
Phillies fell to 4-12 this month.

Toronto jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first. Brett Lawrie and Rasmus hit
consecutive doubles off Kendrick to open the frame, producing a run. Johnson
then plated Rasmus with a two-out chopper to center field.

The Phillies erased the deficit with leadoff home runs by Thome and Mayberry
in the second and third innings, respectively. Thome's blast to right-center
field was his 100th as a Phillie.

But the Blue Jays moved back in front in the fourth. After Johnson grounded
into a double play, Kendrick gave up a single to Yunel Escobar and hit Yan
Gomes with a pitch before yielding an RBI single to Davis, who drove home the
winning run in the 10th inning on Saturday.

Toronto extended its lead to 5-2 in the fifth when Lawrie worked a leadoff
walk and Rasmus followed with a home run to right field.

The Blue Jays scored a sixth run on a fielding error by Hunter Pence in the
seventh.

Game Notes

The Phillies were swept on the road in an interleague matchup for the first
time since June 23-26, 2006 at Boston...Thome became the fourth player in MLB
history to hit 100 home runs with three different teams, joining Alex
Rodriguez, Reggie Jackson and Darrell Evans. Thome hit 337 homers for the
Cleveland Indians and 134 for the Chicago White Sox...Luis Perez limited
Philadelphia to one hit in three innings of relief...Catcher Carlos Ruiz
returned to the Phillies' lineup after injuring an oblique muscle on
Friday...Rasmus and Mayberry both had three hits...The Phillies committed 10
errors on the road trip.